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W. D. RICHARDSON. CONTINUOUS REDUCTION FURNACE.

APPLICATION FKLED 0CT.'22. I915.

Patented May 6, 1919.

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w. n. RICHARDSON. CONTINUOUS REDUCTION FURNACE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 22. 1915.

Patented May 6, 191%.

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W. D. RICHARDSON.

CONTINUOUS REDUCTION FURNACE. APPLICATION mzo ocr. 22. 1915.

1,303,114. Patented My 6, 1919.

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WILLIAM D. RICHARDSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SWIFT & COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CONTINUOUS REDUCTION-FURNACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 6, 1919.

1 Application filed October 22. 1915. Serial No. 57.313.

17 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM D. RICHARD- SON, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Continuous Reduction-Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object the continuous reduction of metallic salts, ores and compounds to the metallic state or to a lower state of oxidation. The device herein described and illustrated is designed princithe manufacture of metallic catalyzers by metals as such or mixed with or coated on inortmaterial, but it is also applicable to a considerable number of processes in which.

reduction is involved. By the use of my invention reduction processes can be carried on continuously, with controlled temperature, and with the material which is undergoing reduction out of contact with the air during and after the process.

A specified embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan of the complete apparatus illustrating the general arrangement thereof.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of the material outlet end of the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the reduction chamber and heating furnace.

1 is a transverse section of the same.

Fig. 5 is an enlargedsectional detail of the gas burner for the furnace.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of thomaterial inlet.

Fig. 7 is a detail of one of the bearings of the helicoid conveyor which forms'part of the material inlet apparatus.

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the material inlet and gas outlet viewed from the bottom of Fig. 1. V

For convenience of description, the device shown may be regarded as made up of six principal parts which are lettered on the attached drawings as follows: (A) gas inlet, (B) material outlet, (C) reduction chamber, (D) material inlet, (E) gas outlet, (F) heating furnace.

The gas inlet A consists of suitable piping controlled by a. valve 1 and connected to the reduction chamber C at a suitable reducing. compounds of catalytic conveyor point, preferably at its delivery end, and adapted to admit, to the reduction chamber, the reducing gas such as hydrogen, producer gas, water gas, oil gas, etc. Also connected at this end of the reduction chamber is a system of steam inlet piping 2 controlled by suitable valves for the purpose of sweeping out, from the reduction chamber, any air or residual gases before or after operating the furnace in order to avoid explosions within the reduction chamber, or gas outlet.

The material outlet B consists of a flanged cross 3 having a short downwardly directed nipple or spout & which extends lnto the receiving tank 5 containing oil, Water or other liquid which may serve as a liquid seal for the spout i, the level of the liquid being above the lower end of the spout. Journaled within the nipple 1 is a shaft 6 carrying paddle arms 7 by means of which the reduced material, falling into the spout 4', is carried below the surface of the liquid, thus preventing clogging at the outlet.

The reduction chamber C may be constructed of extra heavy pipe 8 connected to one branch of the cross 3 having, at

its opposite end, a T 9 for connection with the material inlet, and a second T 10 for connection with the gas outlet. A helicoid conveyor 11 extends lengthwise through the reduction chamber C and terminates at a point above the material outlet spout 1. This conveyor is of considerably less diameter than the pipe 8 and is located in the lower part thereof'so that it will convey the material along the pipe 8 without interfering with the flow ofreducing gas through said pipe. The length of the reduction chamber may be varied greatly according to the condition of operation, the material to be reduced, and the product desired. At the inlet end, the conveyor 11 extends through the run of the T 9 so as to cross its branch 12.

The material inlet D comprises a pipe 13 connected to the branch 12' and having therein a holicoid conveyor 14: which terminates adjacent to the mouth of tho'branch 12 so as to provide a considerable space 15 between the delivery end of the conveyor 1 1 and the conveyor 11. The method of supporting the conveyor 14 is illustrated in Fig. 7 The object in thus terminating the 11 at a distance from the conveyor 11 is to cause the material to completely fill the space 15 in the inlet branch 12, and serve as a seal against the flow of air into the reduction chamber, a condition which is quite essential to the proper operation of the furnace.

An open trough 16 forms an extension of the inlet pipe 13 at its inlet end, and receives the material to be reduced from a conveyer belt 17 and feed hopper 18.

' The gas outlet E, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8, comprises a T 10 set with its branch directed upward, an increaser 19 and a T 20, and a horizontal pipe 21. The pipe 21 ten minates in a blind flange or head 22 through which a small pipe 23 is connected. The pipe serves as a gas outlet by reason of the fact that the chamber within the pipe 21 is of much greater diameter than the pipe 23, the gas flowing through it is retarded to a sufiicient extent to cause the dust, which is carried over by the gas, to settle. The continuous flow of gas through the pipe prevents the inflow of air at this point.

The heating furnace It comprises a brick setting having an inner compartment through which the pipe 8 extends, and said compartment is lined with fire brick, illustrated in Figs. 3 being spaced away from the pipe 8 to provide a combustion chamber 21 in the lower part of the gas burner 25, as shown in said Figs. 3 and 1. A preferred arrangement of the gas outlets 26 of the burner is illustrated in l ig. 5. Air is supplied to the gas burner through pipes or duct-s 27 and the burned gases escape at suitably arranged chimney openings or flues 28.

The operation of the device follows:

The apparatus is first steamed out by admitting steam through the steam line 2 to the reduction chamber and the heating furnace is started. hen the temperature approaches that desired for reduction, which can be ascertained by means of a suitably located pyrometer (not shown), the conveyer 11 is started and a small stream of reducing gas is caused to flow within the reduction chamber C from the gas line A. When the desired temperature is reached, the material, in the form of a finely ground or granular powder, is carried by the feeding mechanism from the hopper 18 to the reduction chamber and the stream of reducing gas is increased so as to bring about the reduction desired. During the process of reduction the material gradually carried along the reduction furnace C by the conveyer 11, fresh material being continuously supplied by the conveyer 14 in a manner which will cause the ingoing materialto form an air. seal at the branch 12 of the T 9,

shown is as and the reducing material being continuously impelled into the liquid in the recepand 1, said fire brick tacle 5 by means of the rotating arms 7 of the agitator, which agitator is driven by suitable connection with the shaft of the conveyor 11. In the meantime the reducing gas flows through the reduction chamber in a direction opposite the flow of the granular ,material and coming in contact therewith accomplishes the reduction. After the gas passes through the reduction chamber it enters the dust separating chamber 21 from which it is discharged by the small pipe 2-3, the retardation of flow in the chamber 91 permitting the dustto settle. After being once started, the apparatus requires little attention except for the purpose of maintaining a steady feed.

hen it is desired to discontinue the operation of the machine, the feed is first shut off and shortly thereafter the supply of heat, The comeyer in the reduction chamber is allowed to run long enough after shutting off the feed to discharge the material already in process, then the supply of reducing gas is shut off, the conveyer is stopped and the reduction chamber steamed out.

Inasmuch as the reduced material, particularlyif it be a metallic catalyzer for the manufacture of which the herein described apparatus is particularly designed, pyrophoric and likely to give rise to an explosion of the reducing gas when mixed with air it is important that the reduction chamber be completely sealed against the inflow of air. This is accomplished by maintaining the reducing gas at a pressure above atmospheric pressure sothat the outflow of gas will prevent the inflow of air at that point; and by sealing the reduction chamber at the material inlet and outlet as has been already described. The oil seal at the outlet is peculiarly advantageous in a device of this kind since if for any reason air should enter the reduction chamber causingan explosion, it would simply result in a putting out of the contents of the delivery spout 4 resulting in no more damage than the mere splashing of oil from the delivery receptacle 5. The initial steaming out of the reduction chamber results in driving ofl" the air which is 0011 tained therein, and the final steaming out likewise results in the driving off of the residual charge of. reducing gas.

Although in my preferred practice the direction of the flow of gas is opposite to that of the other material, this is not essential and I am able to obtain good resultsby causing the gas and material-to flow in the same direction.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted Without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims;

I claim:

1. A reduction furnace comprising a reduction chamber, a depending discharge spout, a receptacle located to receive the material delivered by said spout and containing a liquid in which the delivery end of said spout is submerged, and means located within said spout for forcing said material below the surface of said sealing liquid.

2. A reduction furnace comprising a reduction chamber, a depending discharge spout, a receptacle located to receive the material delivered by said spout and containing a liquid in which the delivery end of said spout is submerged, and a rotating shaft journaled adjacent to the lower end of said spout and having paddle arms for carrying the reduced material below the surface of the sealing liquid.

3. A continuous reduction furnace comprising a horizontally disposed stationary reduction chamber, a helicoid conveyer of less diameter than said reduction chamber and located in the lower part thereof whereby the material to be reduced may be carried along said chamber without obstructing the flow of gas through said chamber, means for causing a reducing gas to flow under pressure through said chamber, and means for continuously delivering material at one end of said chamber and discharging it at the other end, all being arranged to exclude air from said reduction chamber during the continuous operation thereof.

l. A continuous stationary reduction furnace comprising a reduction chamber, means for continuously conveying granular material through said reduction chamber With out obstructing the flow of gas through said chamber, and means for sealing the inlet and discharge ends of said reduction chamber against the inflow of air during the operation thereof.

5. A continuous reduction furnace comprising a horizontally disposed tubular me1nber providing a reduction chamber and ex tending through said heating furnace so as to be externally heated thereby, a conveyer for conveying granular material along the lower part of said reduction chamber, feed ing mechanism for continuously supplying granular material at one end of said reduction chamber without admitting air thereto, a depending discharge spout for delivering material from the opposite end of said reduction chamber, means for containing a liquid in which said discharge spout is submerged, means for supplying reducing gas to said reducing chamber adjacent to said discharge spout, and means providing a gas outlet adjacent to the material inlet end of said reducing chamber, said last named means comprising a dust collecting chamber having a contracted outlet.

6. A continuous reduction furnace comprising an elongated reduction chamber, means for heating said chamber, means for causing a continuous flow of reducing gas through said chamber in one direction, means for continuously conveying material through said chamber in the opposite direction, feeding mechanism for continuously supplying material at one end of said reduction chamber without admitting air thereto, discharge means for delivering material from the opposite end of said reduction chamber without admitting air thereto, and a gas outlet communicating with said reduction chamher, said outlet being contracted as and for the purpose set forth.

7 A reduction furnace comprising a reduction chamber, means for heating said chamber, means for causing a continuous flow of reducing gas through said chamber, a conveyer within said chamber for continuously conveying the material through said chamber, feed mechanism for continuously supplying material to said chamber at one end Without admitting air thereto, discharge means for delivering material from the opposite end of said chamber without admitting air thereto, and means for supplying steam to said chamber to remove air therefrom before introduction of the reducing gas. g

S. A continuous reduction furnace comprising an outer insulating casing, a stationary reduction chamber, Within said casing, means within said casing for heating said reduction chamber, a conveyer within said chamber for progressing material therethrough, meansfor introducing material to said chamber and for removing the reduced material therefrom without admission of air, and means for supplying to said reduction chamber a gaseous current under pressure for effecting the reduction.

Signed at Chicago this 18th day of October, 1915.

WILLIAM D. RICHARDSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

